


laitar

by theoreticlove



Series: the sunset glows [5]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Crying, M/M, Mentions of Character Death, The Description Isn’t Super Graphic But There’s One Throwaway Line So, Very Similar To The Previous Part of This Series, family bonding I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 01:44:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20331994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoreticlove/pseuds/theoreticlove
Summary: ilvanë finds out about her elder sibling’s death





	laitar

Glorfindel turned as he heard the front door to his house open, confusion clouding his face. It was the middle of the day and Ecthelion had fallen asleep in the warmth of the sunlight, curled up in their bed. 

Glorfindel made his way to the front entrance quietly, wondering who it could possibly be. They were expecting no guests, Ilvanë was at school and Laitar was living in central Tirion, busy making themselves a career in music. 

At least, Glorfindel had believed that Ilvanë was at school. He saw that it was otherwise when he found his beloved daughter sobbing over a portrait of her and her elder sibling in the kitchen. 

“Ilvanë, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you at school?” Glorfindel asked, worry consuming him as he all but ran to his daughter. 

“Atya,” she sobbed, wrapping her arms around Glorfindel’s chest. Her cries were heartbroken. Whatever had upset her, it had upset her greatly. She shook with the force of her sobs, the corners of her shirt sleeves already soaked with tears that she had wiped off her cheeks. 

Glorfindel wrapped his arms around her, both of them falling to the floor as she cried and cried and cried. She didn’t seem to mind, clinging to her father as he tried to soothe her, stroking her hair and promising that everything was okay. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Glorfindel asked, after Ilvanë had worn herself out, unable to cry anymore. 

“He said- he said that Maglor ri-ripped Laitar’s throat out, and- and that Laitar is a coward and a traitor and that they- that they deserved to die all alone,” she said, a broken sob coming out. 

Glorfindel just barely managed to keep his temper in check. 

“Who said that?” He asked, seething with anger. How dare anyone say that about his child? His beautiful child, who had died fighting for what was right? His darling child who had suffered so much and had spent so long trying to recover from the trauma inflicted upon them?

“One of the- of the older students. Is it true? Atya, is it true, did- did Laitar really get their throat ripped out and die alone?” She said, and Glorfindel saw the most horrible expression of fear and pain and profound sadness in Ilvanë’s eyes. 

“Oh, my darling, we wanted to tell you when you were a little older. Laitar- yes, Laitar died very gruesomely. But I- you must know, Ilvanë, that Laitar was not a coward, or a traitor. No, your sibling died fighting for what was right. They died so others could live.”

“But they died alone!” She said, and began to sob again. 

Glorfindel felt tears sting his eyes. 

“Yes. They died alone. But when they got to Mandos, atto and I were right there, and we were there for them the whole time. And so were your uncle Turgon and aunt Elenwë, and uncle Argon and Fingon and Finrod. They weren’t alone for very long, love.”

Ilvanë sniffled into his shirt, hiccuping. She had calmed down substantially, but her breaths were still shaky and Glorfindel kept her close. 

“What’s going on?” Ecthelion said, yawning as he made his way over to them. He raised an eyebrow at Glorfindel, clearly curious as to why their daughter was sniffling in his lap, very obviously just having been crying, instead of being at school.

_Laitar_, Glorfindel mouthed. Ecthelion’s confusion became horror. 

“Oh, no,” he said. “I thought I told that teacher of hers to...” 

Ilvanë shook her head. 

“It wasn’t- it wasn’t my teacher. It was a boy named Hrávo, he’s- he’s a couple years older than me.”

“He made some very cruel comments about Laitar.” Glorfindel explained, and watched as anger lit up Ecthelion’s eyes. 

“I’m having a word with whoever is running this school of yours, Ilvanë. That’s absolutely unacceptable.” 

Ecthelion, now fully awake and filled with anger-fueled adrenaline, nearly burst out the door. 

“Thel,” Glorfindel called. “Before you tear anyone to shreds, send for Laitar. I think it would do us some good to see them.” 

Ecthelion softened just a tad as he saw Ilvanë light up at the thought of seeing Laitar. Certainly their presence would reassure her that all was well, now. 

“Of course,” he said, and left the house. 

Some hours later, after Ecthelion had returned, the three of them were sitting on a sofa, hot cocoa in Ilvanë’s hands as she sat between her fathers, both of them taking turns comforting her. She was still incredibly shaken, not having smiled since she had arrived home, and it was terribly jarring to her fathers, who had known her always as a joyous spirit, who loved to laugh and make others happy. And yet she simply sat, taking the occasional sip of cocoa and staring blankly at the family portrait on the wall. She payed no mind as Ecthelion worriedly ran a hand through her mess of curly hair. 

Suddenly the front door opened and slammed shut, footsteps falling in rapid succession. The three looked up just in time to see Laitar running into the sitting room, very obviously worried. 

“Laitar!” Ilvanë cried, setting her cocoa down and barrelling into her sibling’s arms. “Laitar,” she said again, and began to sob.

“What’s happened?” They asked. “Atto said to come quickly and I feared something terrible and it seems that I am right! Ilvanë, my sweet sister, what troubles you so?” 

Ilvanë let go of Laitar with a sniffle, but almost immediately put a hand back on their shoulder, wiping tears from her eyes. 

“I- I-“ she choked out, before beginning to cry again. Laitar held her close, raising an eyebrow in question to their fathers, clearly wanting to know why their sister was so upset. It was evident that Laitar was distressed on her behalf and hoped to soothe whatever problem she was having. 

Glorfindel stood, making his way over to his children. 

“One of the boys who goes to Ilvanë’s school was making some very cruel comments about your death, Laitar. Cruel enough that Ilvanë came home crying in the middle of the day.”

“Oh,” said Laitar, suddenly a lot more fierce in how tightly they held Ilvanë. “How- how dare he? Is it not enough that I had to live through it? And to make Ilvanë so upset like this- it is unthinkable.”

“We’ve already spoken to the headmaster of Ilvanë’s school. The student in question will be suspended.” Ecthelion chimed in. 

“Good!” Laitar cried, before turning back to Ilvanë once more. “My dear sister, you must know that I am perfectly safe now. I am here, alive and healthy. I know it must have been a shock to you, finding out about my death in such a fashion, but I love you very much and I am here now. I am here now.”

Ilvanë clung to them for dear life. Ecthelion beckoned them over to the couch, and the other three members of Ecthelion’s family piled on, Ilvanë refusing to let go of her sibling. 

“I love you all,” Laitar said.

“We love you too,” Glorfindel and Ilvanë replied. Ecthelion draped the largest blanket over the four of them, fondly smiling at his family. He was worried, yes, for Ilvanë’s sake, but he thought that in the end, if Laitar and her parents were there, she would be fine.

He would, however, be having a stern talking to with Hrávo’s parents. But that could wait until tomorrow. Now, he would cherish having his family all on one couch.

**Author's Note:**

> holy crap i’m so tired


End file.
